Socket



y 1933- J. A. c. GALVAO 2,118,503

SOCKET Filed July 2, 1936 IN ENTOR (JOSEPH 14.0. GAL-V40 ATTORNEYS Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to a lamp socket or similar structure, adapted to cooperate with an Edison or screw plug, such as is used onthe ordinary electric bulb or electric plug..

It aims to devise a construction, which while cheap in construction and simple of operation, will enable such an Edison plug or the like to be attached to the socket, without the necessity of laboriously screwing the same thereon. Using the device of my present invention, an Edison plug or bulb can be inserted in the socket in but two simple movements; one, a pressure inward, and two, a slight clockwise turn.

The'device of my present invention has a par- 1 ticular value in electric signs and marquises, where there are a large number of bulbs to be inserted and changed, and where the saving in time, which will result from using my present invention, will be substantial.

Further advantages and superiorities of my present invention will, in part, be hereafter pointed out and will, in part, be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

In the drawing:-- I

Fig. 1 is a top plan, partly broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, at ill is shown the base proper, having a shell H,

adapted to receive the conventional or screw plug.

At I2 is shown a copper or other conducting metal strip, aiilxed to the base Ill by the screw l3, and to the shell I I by the bent portions of the wire i4.

This wire ll surrounds the shell il, being contained in a recess l5, and in electrical contact with the metal strip i2 and the dogs l5 hereafter to be described.

At I6 is another metal band, also aflixed to the base III by the screw l1, and penetrating through the shell II to form the other point of contact IS with the Edison or screw plug.

The dogs l5 comprise an upper and lower portion, l8 and I9, pivotally mounted about the wire l4, by means of the spring wire 20. The lower portions IQ of these dogs ii are of uniform size, and project into the interior of the shell to cooperate with the tip of the Edison or screw plug. The upper portions l8 of the dogs l5 also project into the interior of the shell, but these upper portions are of different sizes, so that the height of each of these upper portions will vary with the pitch of the thread of-the Edison plug, the sizes 55 decreasing in a clockwise direction. It will be seen that the inner sides oi these dogs l5 form a sort of half-moon.

The spring wire 20 may be readily afilxed to the upper portions l8 of the dogs 15 by having the upper portions llslit open, inserting the wire 6 within such slit, and thereafter pinching the sides together.

There may also be provided an outer covering 2!, which may be threadedly engaged about the shell II, at the threads 22. 10

In operation, the Edison plug 23 is inserted into the shell, until the lower portion thereof, shown at 24, has passed the lower portions iii of the dogs i5, forcing the lower portions towards the shell II and the upper portions l8 inwardly away 15 from.the shell, and in position to engage the threaded portions 25 of the Edison plug 2-3. At this point the tip 25 of the Edison plug 23 will be in contact with the contact point is of the band IS. The Edison plug 23 is then rotated 20 slightly in a clockwise direction, the upper portions iii of the dogs l5 thus engaging the plug 23 at the threaded portions 25 and holding the same firm.

The electric current may enter the device 2.5 through the wire 21, which is connected to the .band l6 by the screw I'I, flow along the band l6 to the contact point I8, thence to the tip of the Edison plug 26, thence through the filaments, and return by means of the threaded portions 25, so the upper portion of the dogs l8, the wire M, the band l2 and the return'wire 28 which may be connected by the screw l3.

When it is desired to remove the plug, it is given a small counter-clockwise turn, thus re- 35 leasing the engagement of the upper portions of the dogs l8, and the plug may then be pulled out.

When the pressure on the lower portion of the plugs I9 is released, because of the withdrawal of the Edison plug 23, the wire 20 pressing against 40 the inner surface or the shell II will rotate the dogs l5 so that the upper portions thereof are now hidden in the recesses 29, leaving the device ready for the insertion of another plug.

While the drawing illustrates three (3) dogs, it 5 is obvious that there may be more or less. I have found, however, that less than three (3) will not be as efllcient.

The foregoing description of my present invention is set forth by way of illustration only, and

" various modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claims.

What I claim as myinvention is: 1. In a socket forreceiving a screw plug, a

shell, and a plurality of dogs pivotally mounted on a common plane in said shell thereof, said dogs having gripping portions at diiierent levels above the pivot points to cooperate with the inclined thread 0! the screw plug, and contact portions below the points of pivot to be engaged y the screw plug base, whereby the insertion and turning 01' the screw plug in said shell new the lower portion of said dogs to retreat, and the upper portion to project inwardly and engage the thread of the screw plug.

2. A socket for receiving a screw plug comprising a base, a plurality of dogs. a shell having a plurality of recesses-adapted to contain the dogs and a recess about the outer side to contain a wire. said dogs being pivotally mounted within the recesses and about the wire on a common plane and having gripping portions at diilerent levels above the points of pivot to cooperate with the inclined thread of the screw plug and contact portions below the points of pivot to be engaged by the screw plug' base, a spring wire atiixed to the outer side of the upper portionsoi said dogs and adapted to be placed against the 'inner wall oi said shell and means to complete the electric circuit.

8. In a socket for receiving a screw plug, a shell, and a plurality oi pivotally mounted dogs in said shell, each of which has a thread riding and gripping end, and an operating end the thread riding and gripping ends occurring at diiferent levels and the operating ends occurring at the same levels; whereby the insertion and rotation of the screw plug in said shell acts upon the operating ends to pivot said dogs and cause the engagement of the riding and gripping ends thereof with the threads of the screw plug.

JOSEPH A. C. GALVAO. 

